Railway-tie.



F. H. MILLER.

RAILWAY TIE. APPLIUATION PILBD JULY 13,1909,

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FRANK H. MILLER, OF STANWOOD, IOWA.

RAILWAY-TIE.

.To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stanwood, in the county of Cedar and State of Iowa, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Railway-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway ties madek of reinforced plastic material such as cement or concrete, and has for its object to provide a strong and durable tie adapted to admit of the easy attachment of rails thereto, or their removal therefrom, and with provision for a little elasticity in the mounting of the rails.

The nature of the invention is fully disclosed in the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which-` Figure 1 is a sideview of a tie embodyingr my invention, partly sectional, the middle portion being` in a central, vertical plane, and the right hand end being in a nearer plane through one of the pockets that hold the spikes. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a central reinforcement, similar in the main to that shown in Fig. 1, but differing in the formation of the inner end portions. Fig. r3 shows an end outline of the tie with a fragment of rail thereon, and the spike-holding pockets and reinforcements in the position in which they are molded. in the tie. Fig. 4 is a perspective view to give a clearer illustration of the spike-pockets and the reinforcement which nearly surrounds them.

In the drawing, A designates an ordinary tee-rail, and B the body of a railway tie formed of plastic material, such as concrete, or cement and sand. In the tie, at proper distance apart are embedded the rail-holding and supporting devices. Of these, C is a sort of chair, formed of cast-iron, or otherwise, having a broad top C1, in which is sunk a recess C2, which forms a seat for a block of wood, or the like, c, to form a slightly elastic support for the rail. In practice a block of end-wood (the grain running vertically) is preferred. Depending from the top-plate are two tubular parts C3, which may be called spike chambers, preferably set near diagonally opposite corners. In one side of each chamber is a vertically inclined offset C4 to receive a wedge-shaped serrated block D of hardened steel. Against the serrated face of this block lies the spike E, held immovably against the serrated block by a wedge or key Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 199.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

Serial No. 507,446.

F between the spike and the slightly inclmed outer wall of the spike-chamber. To allow for variations in the width of bottom iianges in rails of different weight, spacestrips G may be provided to insert between the back of the serrated block and the adjacent wall of its pocket when a heavy rail is used. This will serve to bring the serrated face of the block flush with the outer edge of the rail-flange, so that the spike, when in position, bears against the edge, as it should.

The spike-chambers connecting with each top-plate should be tied together by diagonal cross-ties or ribs C5, separated'n the middle to permit reinforcingbars H to pass through. These are provided with notches H1 at the sides, to engage the adjacent spikechambers. They are also provided with a series of tangs H2 to prevent the possibility of slippage in the body of the tie. In the case of ties used on roads not equipped with electrical block-signal systems, or otherwise electrified, a single bar would serve for the whole tie, each end being notched for a spike-chamber, or, to be accurate, a pair of such chambers. But in most cases it is desirable to so construct the ties that the rails are insulated from each other, and this is done by using a pair vof reinforcing bars, overlapping at or near the middle of the tie, with their ends interlocking, but not touching, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this case the interlocking bars, molded fast in the concrete tie bind the tie unbreakably together.

The tie is also reinforced a little way beneath its outer surface by a stirrup-like shell or trough of expanded steel I bent lengthwise into practically the gutter-like form indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be understood that holes are cut in the bottom to receive the spike-holders, and the in-turned flanges at the top are notched for the same purpose. This gives a light, but strong tensional reinforcement near the skin of the tie, with which it is .intimately incorporated through its open meshes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a railway tie, the combination of a body of plastic material, and rail-holding devices, comprising a pair of spike-chambers for each rail, connected above and below, each chamber having an inclined offset to take a serrated spike-holding block, a

25 necting the spike-c o i0 a pair of spike-chambers for each rail, and

means substantially as described for retaining the spikes, diagonal cross-bars connecting the spike-chambers above and below the center, and a reinforcing bar molded in the i5 tie and extending through the opening between the spike-chambers.

3. In a railway tie, the combination of a body of plastic material, a rail-supporting device molded therein, the same comprising 2O a pair of spike chambers for each rail, and

means substantially as described for retainf' 0 vthe spike, a recess for a block of slightly C ff erial, a slightly elastic block m0111119@ V 'onal cross-bars coni 1 y and below the center, and reinforcing` bals Y in@ through the openings between the s1 chambers.

4. In a railway-tie, the combination of a plastic body, rail-holdingdevices for each rail, molded in said body, and a pair of reinforcing bars passing` through said railholding devices, and interlocking without direct contact at their inner ends.

5. In a railway tie, the combination of a plastic body, rail-holding devices for each rail molded in said body, and a pair of reinforcing bars passing through the railholding devices, and engaging with them, and formed to interlock at their inner ends, without direct contact.

6. In a railway tie, the combination of a plastic body, rail-holding devices for each rail molded therein, and a trough-like reinforcement of reticulated metal, such as eX- panded'steel, provided with openings for the spike-holding devices at the top and bottom, and with its vertical sides outside them, molded in the body oit the tie.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. MILLER.

Witnesses:

M. CHAMBERLAIN, l ONNMNES. 

